Daniel Reed – Graphic Designer

You narrowly missed out on winning an award for your type specimen Incido, how did Antalis know about your work?

I found out about the awards following a conversation with a paper rep from Antalis, they told me that they were taking entries for the 2016 Review and any job that contained their paper could be submitted.

I decided to enter my type specimen for Incido which was printed on Cyclus Offset. I was excited to get a nomination and had a great night in London for the awards ceremony. I will be looking to enter next years awards with a new type specimen for a typeface I’m currently working on and hopefully I can take home the gold!

Did you formally study some form of design or are you self-taught?

I studied Graphic Design and Art at both GCSE and A-Level, I then went onto do a Masters of Design at Sheffield Hallam University specialising in Typography.

Was university worthwhile for you?

Yes, it taught me how to break down a problem and find the best solution to solve it, making sure to focus on the clients needs not just to be on trend. My course had a built in placement year which was extremely useful as I could observe how a studio worked and what type of environment I would like to get involved with after graduating.

Can you tell us which projects you’ve worked on as a graphic designer and illustrator?

I work full time at a design studio called The Cafeteria as well as freelancing. Working within a studio has taught me how to work on projects ranging from branding to exhibition design for clients such as Forced Entertainment and Museum Sheffield. In my own time I have expanded my typographic work and now regularly release my own typefaces. If you would like to see some examples of my personal work and typefaces please visit. daniel-reed.co.uk

How would you describe your personality, do these characteristics help you when you meet clients and when you’re designing?

My personality is quiet introverted and I prefer to listen and observe than talk and take over. I think some of these traits come through with my design practice, in that I have a fairly minimal approach and don’t like to overcomplicate a design. When working with clients these traits also help as I can listen to what they need and respond with an appropriate visual response.

What kind of projects are your favourite?

I like working on music based briefs (vinyl records), I have a musical background and play a few instruments, so any excuse to indulge this passion is a bonus. You usually get to listen to music before release and work with the band members to realise their sound visually.

What are your favourite techniques, tools, books?

I use the Adobe Creative Suite to produce the majority of my work. For typeface design I use the software GlyphsApp and I always start work with a pen and pad as it’s best to get early ideas down on paper. I would always recommend the following books Robert Bringhurst The Elements of Typographic Style, A Smile in The Mind and Grid Systems in Graphic Design by Joseph Muller Brockmann.

Where do you go for design inspiration?

I like to use online and print resources for inspiration, online I use It’s Nice That, Creative Review and BP&O. And in print I like to use – Creative Review, Eye and IdN. They are all good inspiration for current work and references for projects. I also like to get inspiration outside of Graphic Design through music or visiting art galleries as they often make you think in different ways to tradition design.

What do you do when you’re not working?

When I’m not working I like reading, hiking, playing the piano, going to gigs and travelling.

Have you any advice for aspiring designers to get into studio work?

Don’t be afraid to pick up the phone and find out the email of the person who you will send a portfolio through too. I think it really helps to send something physical such as a poster or flyer to make yourself stand out before sending over a portfolio. And if you are still having trouble getting an interview fill your time with personal projects so you have work you can talk about when the time comes.